Happy 13th Birthday: Google celebrates with new doodle

Google has used the latest Google doodle to celebrate its 13th birthday with a picture of the logo enjoying a cake.

Unlike the usual fanfare and excitement afforded to some of the doodles of recent times, like the one that celebrated Freddie Mercury's birthday complete with moving animations or videos, Google has gone for a very simple approach with a very basic design.

Stranger still, it seems, Google has only included 12 candles on the cake rather than 13 to represent the 13 years in business.

Regardless of the candle count, this year's effort is still in keeping with previous birthday Google doodles that have become a tradition since the first birthday doodle appeared in 2003.

In what has never been fully explained the Google doodle birthday doodles in 2003 and 2004 appeared on the 7 September before moving to the 27 September where they have appeared ever since.

As the doodles of the last 8 years show, Google doesn't always get a cake. Its ninth birthday was celebrated with a piñata, and its eleventh birthday an extra "1" to give the 11 in the logo.

Update: We had another count and there are in fact 13 candles - no mystery after all.